


All I Want...

by FlutterFyre



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Cameos by the pack - Freeform, Christmas Crack, Future Fic, M/M, holiday fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-19
Updated: 2014-12-19
Packaged: 2018-03-02 06:22:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2802671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlutterFyre/pseuds/FlutterFyre
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Head down, I was completely focused on what shops I still needed to hit before closing when, without warning, I was surrounded by a crowd of little people.</p><p><i>What the heck?</i> I looked up to see an absolute sea of children, waiting in line to see…<i>Santa?</i> Wasn’t it a little late for that? Shouldn’t all requests have already been made and the gifts bought? Was I missing something?</p><p>  <b>Or</b></p><p>Racing to complete last minute shopping, Stiles makes a surprising discovery...</p>
            </blockquote>





	All I Want...

**Author's Note:**

> Just a bit of holiday fluff. Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Huge thanks to terpinleather and BootsnBlossoms for the read through. All mistakes are mine.

Just call me an Mr. Procrastinator. Every year I swear I’m going to start my holiday shopping early – like in July, or at least Black Friday – and every year I get distracted and find myself at the mall on Christmas Eve, trying to finish my shopping which, if I’m lucky I started the day before. This year was no different. Here it was, the day before Christmas, and while I had managed to buy gifts for everyone else, I had absolutely no idea what to give the man in my life. 

An HDTV wasn’t going to do it.

It was bad enough we had both been so busy the past six weeks that, apart from our regularly scheduled ‘date nights’, we’d hardly seen one another. Sure we talked and texted daily, but it hadn’t been the same. Derek’s text apologizing for having to cancel last night’s date — the second such cancellation in less than two weeks — had been disappointing and more than a little frustrating. 

Had the shine worn off our relationship already? I mean, sure we had been together for three years, but I had only finished up at UC-Davis six months earlier and moved back to Beacon Hills. The supernatural world had been unnaturally quiet of late, giving us plenty of time to settle into a routine — was Derek bored already?

I grumbled to myself as I dodged around a couple of high school kids who were hanging out at the mall while off from school. They had their noses glued to their phones and I wondered why they weren’t home playing Minecraft or some MMORPG. Anyone not in serious shopping mode should be banned from all stores on this of all days. Head down, I was completely focused on what shops I still needed to hit before closing when, without warning, I was surrounded by a crowd of little people.

 _What the heck?i_ I looked up to see an absolute sea of children, waiting in line to see… _Santa?_ Wasn’t it a little late for that? Shouldn’t all requests have already been made and the gifts bought? Was I missing something?

“Excuse me.” I tapped the arm of the woman in front of me. She turned to look at me with hazel-but-almost-green eyes set above high cheekbones in a face that was the shade of light cocoa. The toddler she held in her arms looked like miniature version of her mother with slightly darker skin and shoulder-length ringlets pulled back by a red and white barrette.

“Yes?” The mother asked without a trace of annoyance at being disturbed by a stranger. Instead, her face was filled with anticipation, but for what?

“I’m sorry to bother you, but I was wondering what the big deal was? Isn’t it a little late to be visiting… well… you-know?” I tilted my head and rolled my eyes in the direction of Santa’s over-decorated holiday throne.

She laughed good-naturedly at my confusion. “Ordinarily I’d say yes, but this Santa’s different. This is a Santa for _all_ the children, not just those of European descent. This is his first year here and let me tell you, he is amazing! He’s been so popular, they extended his stay. He must speak a dozen languages; I swear every parent and child can understand him.” 

A delighted smile curved her lips. “This is a Santa for everyone! The lines have been outrageous as more and more people have heard about him, but no one minds. They even extended his hours. I swear, just five minutes with him is like spending time with an angel.” Her voice lowered conspiratorially. “Plus, all the proceeds from the photos goes to charity; and if parents can’t afford to pay, they get the pictures for free. Finally, _someone_ figured out the meaning of Christmas.”

My eyebrows rose speculatively and I glanced over at The Amazing, Multicultural Santa(™). He didn’t look like anything special to me, but maybe I was missing something. A blond female elf led a pair of little boys towards Santa. The younger one, who looked to be three or four, was clinging to his brother’s hand and kept glancing back at his mother. I halfway expected him to bolt at any moment. Then Santa learned forward and said something that made the child turn and look at him, a bright grin blooming before he ran forward the last few steps to clamber onto the red-suited lap.

As the elf smiled and stepped away, I promptly did a double take. _Was that Erica?_

Frowning, I stepped forward and stared more closely at the other two elvish attendants. Sure enough, that was Boyd manning the camera with Isaac as the gangly elf greeting the patrons and goofing off to entertain those waiting in line. That left...

Eyes narrowed, I stared once more at ‘Santa’.

 _It couldn’t be._

I gasped and ducked behind the woman in front of me, garnering befuddled stares from those around us. Catching my breath, I straightened and looked again.

At first glance, he looked like any other costumed Kris Kringle, but a closer look revealed familiar color definition-defying eyes, the apples of cheeks that had only recently begun to smile with regularity and the barest hint of bushy dark eyebrows that normally had a language all their own.

Clearly padding filled out the hallmark suit, as I knew beyond doubt that body held not an ounce of fat — abs of steel for the win! As I watched, his teeth flashed in a smile that, even framed by a fake beard and mustache, was brighter than the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. Oh. My God.

As he finished with the two boys on his lap, he easily lifted each down, giving them both candy canes before laughing and waving them along. I imagined I could hear his familiar voice urging the boys to behave for their mom as she tucked the younger kid into a stroller and took the older one’s hand. As she led them away, she kept glancing back at Santa every few steps. Like most of the women there, she looked like she wanted to climb in Santa’s lap and tell him what she wanted for Christmas.

His sharp eyes scanned the crowd and I took an unconscious step back, hoping he wouldn’t see me. The sheer size and noise of the crowd between us should mask my scent and heartbeat unless he was seeking me out. He failed to notice me, turning his attention to the next child and I gave a sigh of relief. 

So _this_ was where he had been spending all his time since Thanksgiving. I had to admit to being antsy he’d had so little time for me of late, but the fact that he always called to say goodnight — even when he was clearly exhausted – had generally kept me from being a too much of a sarcastic shit about it, though last night I _had_ been a dick after he cancelled. Now I felt like whale shit at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.

As I watched, he lifted young Latina girl who was maybe five years old onto his lap and smiled at her mother. The girl appeared rather uncertain about the entire experience and looked on the verge of tears. ‘Santa’ leaned down and spoke in the girl’s ear and her expression cleared and she rewarded him with a smile that was beatific. A flash indicated that the moment had been captured by Boyd. Laughing, the girl reached up to give Santa’s beard a tug. With lightning reflexes, he captured her hand and freed himself, placing a candy cane in her grip instead. 

Mother and child walked away ecstatic. I thanked the helpful woman next to me for her information and the line moved forward without me.

 _I’m dating Santa._

Now I needed to figure out was what I wanted to do with the knowledge.

* * * *

Six hours later, I was putting the final touches on my apartment. My tree was covered in tiny white lights and gaily, albeit unprofessionally, wrapped packages sat beneath its branches. Faux mistletoe hung in every doorway and a plate of homemade brownies sat on breakfast bar separating the kitchen and dining area. 

Freshly showered, a towel slung low on my hips, I made a final inspection of the cozy setting I had created and grinned. It was perfect. ‘Santa’ was definitely in for a surprise.

I padded into the bedroom to finish getting ready. My bed had been made with fresh sheets and a new bottle of lube was unsealed and sitting on the nightstand. I was so looking forward to tonight. 

Tossing the damp towel into the hamper, I stepped into a pair of fire engine red, velvet boxers, edged with white, fluffy, faux fur. A quick look in the mirror proved that even though I had filled out since high school, my stomach and abs still had nothing on Derek’s. I sighed in resignation. At least I didn’t look quite as ludicrous as I felt. But that wasn’t saying much. I shook my head at my own ridiculousness as I heard a key turn in the front door lock.

As a final touch, I grabbed the white-tufted, scarlet Santa hat off the dresser and pulled it on over my damp hair.

“Stiles?” Derek’s voice beckoned from the living room. 

I exited my room, bare feet silent on the carpet, though I knew he’d hear me approaching. Damned werewolf hearing. At the entrance to the living room, I stopped and stared and the image he made standing in front of the tree, still amazed that he was really mine. Gone was the Santa suit and beard; in their place were a well-worn sweater and pair of dark jeans. He looked tired, but his eyes flashed when he saw me. I felt the heat of his gaze take in my thematic attire. 

At least he wasn’t laughing. 

Yet. 

Eyes glinting with amusement, he smiled wolfishly.

Mission accomplished. 

I responded with a knowing smirk. 

Remembering the hungry looks on the faces of the women at the mall, I felt possessive satisfaction. Sorry, ladies, he’s mine. All mine.

“Hey there, Santa. So what do you have to offer a guy who’s sometimes naughty, sometimes nice?”

His eyes paused in their perusal, widening at my greeting. The expression on his face turned sheepish.“I guess you were at the mall, huh?”

“Yup.”

Nodding, I crossed over to where he stood in front of the tree. “Oh yeah. And from where I stand, you definitely deserve a treat.” I didn’t stop until I was standing so close our chests were touching, his hands automatically going to my hips. 

Palms pressed to those perfect pecs, I leaned forward, as though to whisper something seductive, changing my target at the last minute so that I could kiss, nibble, and lick my way up his neck before pausing to murmur in his ear, “And here, I was wondering why I saw so little of you these days. Now I know.”

His breath was hot against my neck as he nuzzled his nose to the hollow beneath my ear. A low growl rumbled under my hands as his grip tightened almost painfully, the tips of his claws pressing dangerously against my skin. 

I shivered and his grasp loosened, claws retreating once more.

With a smile, I stepped back and just looked at him, unable to imagine what I had done to deserve such an amazing man in my life.

Surprisingly enough, as his eyes met mine, Derek’s smile faltered and he looked away. He turned to stare at the tree and I thought I saw a look of guilt on his face. After a moment, he cleared his throat. “Uh, Stiles?”

“Yes?”

His mouth opened and closed but no words came out. He wouldn’t meet my eyes. Clearly there was something he didn’t want to tell me. I took a step back as a cold thread of fear ran down my spine. _Surely he wasn’t…he couldn’t want…_ My mind almost refused to complete the thought. _Derek was not breaking up with me on Christmas Eve!_

Silent, he met my gaze once more and I saw regret. _No!_ I swallowed hard and tried to figure out how I was going to react. Feeling exposed, I wished for my worn flannel pajamas but settled for clothing myself in pride. My spine straightened and I took a deep breath. 

“Is there something you want to say?” I took satisfaction from the fact that my voice was steady and didn’t crack even though my heart felt squeezed in my chest.

Derek’s Adam’s apple bobbed and he took a deep breath. This didn’t look good.

“Stiles, I am so sorry. Things have been so crazy the past few weeks and I really thought I had time, but I was wrong.” He smiled sadly and spread his hands. “I didn’t get your present.”

His words registered and my eyes widened. Braced as I was for the worst possible news, this confession seemed anti-climactic. I breathed a sigh of relief, took another step back and sank onto the couch.

He took two steps forward and hunkered down before me, taking my hands in his. With a short laugh, he continued. “The worst part is that I had it all planned out. It was even paid for. I just didn’t make it to the store in time to pick it up before they closed. I’m sorry I bungled everything, but I’m not willing to wait another year and do this right.”

I stared at him, my mind attempting to make sense of his apologetic ramblings. He wasn’t breaking up with me. He had merely forgotten to get my gift. Oh. Okay.

Realizing he was quiet, looking at me expectantly, I tried to figure out what I had missed. 

“Yes?”

It must have been the right thing to say because a smile spread over Derek’s often scowling features and he pounced, his weight pushing me backwards until I half-lying on the couch. Nearly crushing me in his werewolfly embrace, he buried his nose in my neck once more. His scruff tickled and I squirmed, distracted and nearly missed his next words as well.

“I promise you won’t regret it.”

Wait… regret it? 

“Regret what?” Plastered against him, my face now pressed to the crook of his neck, my brain flailed, connecting the dots until I thought I had an idea of what he was talking about. Wanting to be sure I heard correctly. I pulled back just far enough to meet Derek’s eyes as uncertainty flickered across his face.

“Uh, marrying me?” 

_Yes!_ Without conscious intent, my arm shot up in a fist pump. I don’t know how I missed the lamp behind me.

He continued, “I promise not to forget a single birthday or anniversary. And whatever you want for Christmas, just ask and I’ll get it for you as soon as the stores open back up.”

“Sorry, but you’re too late.”

“Too late? I know I’m too late, that’s why—”

“No, I mean, you can’t buy me anything.”

“Oh...uh...okay.” Crestfallen, Derek pulled back to the opposite end of the couch. Sitting up, I grabbed his arm and crawled towards him in an attempt to stop him from completely withdrawing into himself.

“No, no, no! Silly Sourwolf.” I huffed at him and straddled his lap, fingers curling around his biceps as I gave him a quick shake. 

No response. 

Crap.

Sliding my hands up his arms, I paused to knead his tense, rock-hard shoulders, but Derek just continued to stare at where his fists were curled between us. I cupped his face, forcing him to look at me. When he did, I smiled but could tell he wasn’t really seeing me. Rhythmically, I brushed my thumbs along his cheekbones, leaning in to nuzzle his temple, soothing him and calling him back to me.

For all that he had just spent the past several weeks playing Santa for hundreds of children, he had yet to forgive himself for the actions of a thoughtless teenager more than a decade before. On the rare occasions when he got like this, I was harshly reminded of just how damaged he still was, despite the facade he usually showed the world.

I loved this man and wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of my life proving to him that he really did deserve good things. My mouth watered at all the ways I would show him. 

As I watched, he returned from that dark place inside of his head and became aware of everything once more. I could see the moment the scent of my lust and want registered finally registered. Once I knew I had his attention, I gave him an exaggerated leer and sang very off-key.

“All I want for Christmas is you.”

**Author's Note:**

> In the interest of full disclosure, this was a complete rewrite of a Plum fanfic I wrote over a decade ago, but I doubt anyone here has read it, so... anyway... if you _did_ read that fandom and this premise looks familiar, that's why!


End file.
